Designing for Post-Perfectionism Parents this Mother’s Day

Mothers’ unseen efforts play a crucial role in many households, despite often going unrecognised and undervalued.

Last year we reported on how growing awareness and activism around the motherload was beginning to drive a shift in expectations from women, caregivers and their families. We explored how brands could use this occasion as an opportunity to amplify the invisible labour of mothers and join in the advocacy for change.   

This year we’ve explored how this mindset shift influences key sentiment and gifting opportunities, by sharing some highlights from our Future of Celebration 2024 report. 

Initially conceptualised back in 2022, our 2024 Future of Celebrations trend The Good Life explored the rise of low-key, low-pressured celebrations. We forecast that families would adopt an anti-hustle mindset, allowing them to withdraw from elusive standards of success and focus instead on building a life that truly brings them joy. This filters into the way individuals choose to celebrate, swapping out societal expectations and an excess of ‘things’ for fuss-free parties centred around travel, community and culture.  

When we take into consideration the added pressure that surrounds being a mother in the age of ‘permacrisis’, this new mindset is more important than ever. 

Here we highlight some of the key opportunities for brands to make a difference this Mother’s day. 

Celebrate the Village

With rising childcare costs and declining childcare coverage across both the UK and USA, the concept of ‘the village’ has never been more important to parents. There’s a unique opportunity for brands to recognise and amplify this. Whether it’s broadening representation in marketing campaigns and messaging or looking for ways to highlight the unique relationships between children, mothers and their supportive ‘village.’ This isn’t just about the celebration of extended family, but a recognition of the need for support for mothers long beyond Mother’s Day itself. It might look like offerings of support between mothers themselves (‘Thanks for being my village’) or it might look like gifting opportunities that remove the burden of the mental load. 

Low Key and Low Fuss 

The pressure and expectation to create memorable family experiences and document them online for others to like and see is adding to the mental load of Millennial mothers. The stress of ‘will it be good enough’ alongside the high admin of organising, planning, prepping and decorating falls disproportionately. We will increasingly see families opt out of the elaborate shareable moments in favour of low-stress alternatives. For Mother’s Day, there’s an important opportunity here to encourage other family members to take on the mental load and celebration admin. Low-key yet meaningful gifting and experiences that help instil ‘little moments of joy’ throughout the day are key here.   

Handmade Joy 

The creativity revolution continues as people embrace making and doing simply because it brings joy – even if the results aren’t perfect. Craft kits elevate handmade gifts and encourage the recipients to stop and enjoy time with the family. For Mother’s Day, explore the opportunity to support the creation of memories together. Alternatively, consider customisable options to help family members transform personal drawings and handwritten sentiments into lovingly made cards and gifts.  

How can your brand improve the appreciation of mothers?

If you’re working in the Gift & Greetings industry, our Future of Celebration 2025 report includes insight into the overarching mindsets and behaviours impacting across multiple occasions, from Mother’s Day trends to Easter and Valentine’s day, and includes everyday celebrations.